ListKerala.com

List Of Famous Personalities - Kerala

FREEDOM FIGHTERS

V.K. Krishna Menon - Toiled for India's Independence in England itself, Diplomat, Orator and India's Defence Minister. Vakkom Majeed - Freedom Fighter, Former Member of Travancore-Cochin State Assembly Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair - President of the Indian National Congress (1897 -1898) U. Gopala Menon - Indian National Congress leader. Sir C Madhavan Nair - Administrator during British Rule K. Kelappan - Known as "Kerala Gandhi". Leader of the Payyannur Salt Satyagraha and the Guruvayur Satyagraha. He was also the founding President of Nair Service Society. K. P. Kesava Menon - Freedom fighter, Founder-Editor of the Mathrubhumi . A. V. Kuttimalu Amma - Top ranking freedom fighter Lakshmi Sehgal - As Captain Lakshmi, commanded the Jhansi Rani Regiment of the INA under Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose E.M.S. Sankaran Namboodiripad - One of the early freedom fighters of Kerala. Was one of the founder leaders of the Congress Socialist Party. Later, joined the Communist Party. A.K.Gopalan - One of the early freedom fighters of Kerala. Was associated with Kelappan for a long time. One of the founder leaders of the Congress Socialist Party. Later, joined the Communist Party. P. Krishna Pillai - One of the early freedom fighters of Kerala. Was one of the founder leaders of the Congress Socialist Party. Later, joined the Communist Party. Pazhassi Kerala Varma Raja - Fought the British half a century before the first war of independence fought by the rest of India. Col. Arthur Wellesley, who later defeated Napoleon in Waterloo, had to concede defeat in the hands of Pazhassi Raja. Mathai Manjooran (1912 - 1970) - A gallant freedom fighter, socialist revolutionary, member of the Indian Parliament, Labor Minister in the 2nd EMS communist ministry, and the staunchest advocate towards the formation of Kerala State. Velu Thampi Dalava - Fought the East India Company at a time they were grabbing power in princely states. Panampilli Govinda Menon - One of the early freedom fighters of the princely state of Cochin. Later, became a cabinet minister under Mrs. Indira Gandhi.

SPIRITUAL LEADERS

Adi Sankara (788 - 820) - Saint, poet, philosopher and reviver of Hinduism in India. Propounded the doctrine of Advaita (non-duality), which identified the Supreme with the Self. He is revered as the Shankaracharya. Sri Narayana Guru - One of the greatest saints and social reformers Kerala has seen. Was instrumental in uplifting the downtrodden masses of Kerala from spiritual and social oppression. Fr. Chavara Kuriakose - A Christian saint of Kerala. The yeoman service rendered by him led to the growth of the C.M.I. (Carmelites of Mary Immaculate) Congregation. Amritanandamayi - Renowned spiritualist from Kerala whose charisma has won her followers from around the world. Swami Chinamayananda - Founder, Chinmaya Mission Karunakara Guru - Founder of Santhigiri Ashramam. Swamy Atmananda - Advaita philosopher. He was a householder. Retired as a Superintendent of Police. Had a large number of disciples from all over the world.

WRITERS

Akkitham Achuthan Namboodiri - A famous Malayalam poet who is honored by the epithet Mahaakavi. He won the Kendra Sahithya Academy Award for Malayalam in 1973. His famous poems include 'Irupatam Nuttantinte Ithihasam. Akkitham is associated with Tapasya, a cultural organization. Arundhati Roy - Writer, awarded the Booker Prize in 1997 for The God of Small Things, which is set in Kerala. Born in Kerala. Balachandran Chullikkadu - Poet admired for his realistic approach and hummable and rhythmic poems. Balamani Amma - Poet; won the highest literary medal in India, the Saraswathi Samman. Changampuzha Krishna Pillai (1911-1948) - Poet, author of the pastoral elegy Ramanan (1936) which sold over 100,000 copies, a record that still stands. Changampuzha took Malayalam poetry to the zenith of romanticism. Cherusseri Namboodiri - Mahakavi (great poet), part of the old Kavithrayam (triad of poets), with Ezhuthachan and Kunchan Nambiar. Author of Krishnagaadha (The Song of Krishna). Kadammanitta Ramakrishnan- Noted Malayalam Poet. Kamala Das - English poet and feminist, also wrote in Malayalam under the pen-name Madhavikkutty. First Indian woman to openly write about woman's sexuality. Embraced Islam under the name Kamala Suraiyya in 1999. Asian Poetry Prize, 1964, Kent Award, 1965. Kesari Balakrishna Pillai - Social thinker, Literary critic who influenced a generation of writers and other intellectuals in Kerala during the first half of 20th Century. The name of one of his book "Navalokam" (New World) is symbolical representative of his intellectual contributions.Kumaran Asan - Mahaakavi (great poet), part of the new Kavithrayam, with Ulloor and Vallathol. Kumaran Asan was the follower of Srinarayana Guru. He used poetry to influence the society. Kalakkaththu Kunchan Nambiar - Mahaakavi (great poet), part of the old Kavithrayam. Founder of the art form Ottan Thullal. Kunjunni- Malayalam Poet M. Krishnan Nair - Literary critic, whose column Sahithyavaraphalam has long served as a window to contem–porary world literature. M. Mukundan - Novelist, author of Mayyazhippuzhayude Theerangalil (On the Banks of Mayyazhi) and Deyvathinte Vikruthikal (Pranks of God). Moothiringode Bhavathrāthan Namboothiripad - Author of the famous Aphante Makal. He was social reformer especially of the Namboothiri society. Moyinkutty Vaidyar - Great poet (Mahakavi), author of many authentic Mappila songs. M. P. Parameswaran - Scientist turned social activist, involved with Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad. M. T. Vasudevan Nair - Writer and cinema personality. Jnanpith Award, 1995. Niranam Poets - Three Great Malayali poets Madhava Panikkar, Sankara Panikkar and Rama Panikkar of the Kannassa family. They lived between AD 1350 and 1450 in the Niranam village of Tiruvalla O. Chandumenon - Author of the Malayalam novel Indulekha. Also wrote the incomplete novel "Sharada". O. V. Vijayan - Novelist, cartoonist. Author of Khasakkinte Ithihaasam (The Legends of Khasak) and Dharmapuranam (The Saga of Dharmapuri). Poomulli Neelakandan Namboothiripad - An expert in arts and literature, Ayurveda, Kalari, Yoga and other performing arts from the famous Poomulli family. Poonthanam - Poet belonging to the Bhakti school. Shashi Tharoor - Novelist, Commonwealth Writers Prize, 1991; Under-Secretary-General (Communication and Public Information) of the United Nations. S. K. Pottekkatt (1913 - 1982) - A well-renowned author whose work Oru Desattinte Katha (The Story of a Land) fetched him the Jnanpith award of 1980. Sukumar Azhikode - Thinker, teacher, critic and orator.
Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai - Novelist and short story writer whose work Chemmeen was awarded Jnanpith Award in 1984. Thunchaththu Ramanujan Ezhuthachan - Architect of modern Malayalam. Mahakavi (great poet), part of the old Kavithrayam. Penned the most popular Malayalam renditions of Ramayana and Mahabharata. Ulloor S Parameswara Iyer - Poet, part of the new Kavithrayam. Author of Umakeralam. Vaikom Muhammad Basheer - Writer, philosopher. Vakkom Abdul Khader Moulavi - Publisher of the legendary publication Swadeshabhimani, social reformer, and a prominent leader of the progressive Islahi Movement in Kerala. Vallathol Narayana Menon - Mahaakavi, part of the new Kavithrayam. Author of Sahithyamanjari. Founder of Kerala Kalamandalam, the state's flagship institution for the promotion of performing arts. Vayalar Ramavarma - Arguably the greatest lyricist in the history of Malayalam cinema. Vijayan. M. N - Thinker, writer, literary critic, social activist. Most of his works are compilation of speeches. Vyloppilli Sreedhara Menon (1911-1985)- Famous Malayalam poet.
Yusuf Ali Kechery- Poet. Malayattoor Ramakrishnan - Malayattoor Ramakrishnan (real name K.V.Ramakrishna Iyer, IAS) was a writer, bureaucrat, cartoonist, and was gifted with many more skills. He was the author of Verukal, Yakshi, Dwantha Yudham, Yanthram, Anchu Centu, Ponni, etc.

SPORTS

Anju George - The only Indian to win a medal at the World Athletics Championships. T. C. Yohannan - Longjump gold in the 1974 Asian Games I. M. Vijayan - Soccer player who played for the national team and prominent Indian soccer clubs such as Mohan Bagan. He was a forward and scored many goals. Jimmy George - Legendary volleyball player. Cyril Valloor - Legendary volleyball player and captain of the 1986 Indian team that won the bronze medal in Asian games. Joby Joseph - Indian volleyball player. Tom Joseph - Indian volleyball player. P. T. Usha - One of India's greatest athletes, who missed out on a bronze medal by 0.01 seconds in the 400 m hurdles event in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Tinu Yohannan - Former Indian cricket team player. S. Sreesanth - Indian Cricket Team player. Shiny Wilson - famous athlete Abey Kuruvilla - Indian cricket player